Micro-P takes on 20:20 Mobile staff

Distributor Micro-P is taking on 20:20 Mobile staff as it ramps up its mobile division after winning a multi-million pound three-year deal to become Nokia’s b2c distribution partner.

Mobile understands the distributor has hired at least two of 20:20 Mobile’s account managers so far, as part of a bid to boost its mobile division to meet the demands of its new Nokia distribution deal.

Micro-P fought off incumbents Data Select and 20:20 Mobile, as well as Brightstar, to win the new Nokia b2c distribution deal, announced last week.

Now Micro-P is on the hunt for new staff to build up its mobile team from eight to 20 staff. It has also moved its mobile headquarters to Stoke-on-Trent, just ten miles from 20:20 Mobile’s headquarters.

Losing staff to Micro-P will come as a bitter blow to 20:20 Mobile in the wake of it losing out to Micro-P in the bidding war for Nokia’s new b2c contract.

The Micro-P mobile team was previously split between the company’s Basingstoke HQ and its Altham office near Manchester.

Gerry O’Keeffe, MD of Micro-P, told Mobile last week that the company had moved its mobile team to Stoke to take advantage of the ‘talent pool’ in the area.

One recruitment source told Mobile: ‘Micro-P is looking to recruit more mobile staff, mostly in the mid management, account manager range to their offices in Stoke. They have already hired a couple of staff from 20:20 Mobile.’

The source added: ‘Micro-P has deep pockets so they can afford to offer good terms and conditions if they want to poach from their rivals.’

Gerry O’Keeffe, MD of Micro-P, refuted claims the company was specifically targeting 20:20 Mobile. He said: ‘Micro-P is constantly looking for sales staff. We currently are looking for four to five staff in mobile and will always look to add more but we are not specifically targeting 20:20 Mobile, although we may have recruited some of their staff.’